As the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the lives of people around the globe, health and wellness is certainly at the forefront of everyone’s minds these days.
One place that’s felt the most impact of 2020 is in the workplace. Some employers have taken a strict remote-work-only stance, while others are slowly introducing employees back into the office environment, and still, some essential workers have no choice but to continue on, business as usual.
No matter where your work stands on in-office or work from home policies, now is really the time to really push for wellness in the workplace. In this post, we’re sharing 5 tips to help you promote health and wellness in the workplace while we battle the pandemic, and beyond.
1. Supply sick time (and encourage employees to use it)
Probably the single most important thing you can do as an employer to encourage employee wellness is allotting your staff the time to be sick, and more importantly, get better. As we’ve learned with the pandemic, viruses spread fast, so allowing staff to work while their sick just isn’t going to work anymore.
Some employers are required to offer employees paid sick leave, but if you’re not one of them, you might want to look into it. Not offering this option will most certainly result in employees showing up to work wanting a paycheck, without considering how they could make other team members ill. One employee down is bad enough, there’s really no need to risk it.
In addition to supplying staff members with the option to take sick time, make sure you set a precedent that it is not only okay to use it but that you as an employer value health and encourage employees to stay home if they feel under the weather.
To make sure all employees are aware of your sick time policies, display signs in-office, on your online HR platform, and remind managers to uphold these standards themselves and on their team.
2. Stock up on hygienic products and sanitation staples
If some or all of your team is returning to the office in the near future, you’ll want to get ahead by stocking up on wellness products that will keep everyone safe. Things like bulk hand sanitizer, masks, soap, and disinfectant wipes should be readily available to employees at all times while first aid kits can be kept at manager desks, in the kitchen, bathroom, or with the office management team.
As you welcome employees back to work, make sure everyone is briefed on safety protocols and where they can find wellness items while they’re at work. Check your state’s health and safety policies to ensure you’re providing the most up to date information as workplace rules and closures change.
3. Take cleaning and sanitizing seriously
As you know, keeping your office tidy and well-sanitized is more important than ever before. With that said, you’ll probably want to hire a professional cleaning company to clean up on a daily or weekly basis, depending on office use and the size of your space. Not only will this make your employees feel valued, but it will help keep everyone feeling well and ready to work!
4. Reward healthy habits
Though important, good health goes far beyond hand-washing and sanitizing surfaces. In addition to taking these precautions, your business should also advocate for preventative care. Things like providing good health care packages and offering sick time make for a great foundation. To go the extra mile, check out these ideas:
- Create fitness challenges or opt for active team-building fun instead of happy hours
- Provide healthy snacks at the office for fulfilling fuel
- Give gym stipends or look for partnership discounts to encourage healthy fitness
- Include mental health benefits in your care package
5. Be flexible
We don’t need to tell you that these are trying times — month after month, 2020 has brought upon us tough challenges to our physical and emotional wellbeing. Remember that your employees, like you, are probably feeling the heat. Understand that they may be having more down days than usual, productivity could be suffering, and burn out is more than likely boosting. Be flexible with your team!
That’s all there is to it! Let us know which of these tips you’re going to implement first as you work toward a healthier and happier workplace.